Altaya Commonwealth Vehicles

Altaya's goal is to put together the most advanced manufacturing techniques by utilizing the best die-cast model aircraft development and marketing experts under the same brand.

From concept through to final production, we're sure you'll be proud to add these unique handcrafted models to your collection. The Altaya 1:43 scale military vehicles series will reportedly cover some 60 models.

The "Churchill" began life as a 1939 requirement that envisaged a return to trench-warfare, and was therefore slow and heavily armored like the Russian KV-1 series. That said, the final Churchill prototype was much lighter than had first been thought acceptable, although it still resembled a World War I tank in appearance.

The Cromwell tank was used by the British Army during the later stages of World War II. The Cromwell was ordered in 1941 and intended to replace the lightweight Crusader "cruiser" tank by being more heavily armoured, and, it was hoped, more survivable in battle.

Designed as a stopgap measure until the M4 Sherman tank could come on line, the M3 General Grant medium tank saw action in the North African campaign with both US and British forces battling the Afrika Korps. The M3 tank was unusual because it mounted two large caliber weapons in the body of the vehicle.

In 1941, the British were searching for a suitable armored vehicle to mount the standard British 25-pounder gun. The Canadians were producing the Ram tank, soon to be replaced by American M3s, and these were altered to accommodate the 25-pounder, becoming known as the Sexton.

In 1941, the British were searching for a suitable armored vehicle to mount the standard British 25-pounder gun. The Canadians were producing the Ram tank, soon to be replaced by American M3s, and these were altered to accommodate the 25-pounder, becoming known as the Sexton.

The Mark I Matilda was developed in response to a 1934 requirement for a close-support infantry tank. Well armored for its day, it was, nevertheless, a small, simple tank. Despite being sturdy enough to withstand hits from most German tank guns in the early stages of WWII, it was too poorly armed to be of much use as the war progressed.

The Cromwell tank was used by the British Army during the later stages of World War II. The Cromwell was ordered in 1941 and intended to replace the lightweight Crusader "cruiser" tank by being more heavily armoured, and, it was hoped, more survivable in battle.

The Crusader's attractive design belied the fact that by the time it first appeared in 1941 it was already outdated. Fast and mobile (their suspensfion was so tough that theoretical maximum speed was often exceeded), they were thinly armored and lacked firepower, being no match for their German counterparts. Reliability was also a problem.